Worst pretense to an impartial news organization: CNN, part 3

Howard Kurtz covers CNN’s use of Democratic plants in the YouTube Republican candidates forum on Wednesday. CNN stands by its misconduct:

[Washington bureau chief David] Bohrman said network staffers, struck by Kerr’s “very powerful” question, verified his military service and determined from federal records that he had made no campaign contributions. He said CNN never spoke to Kerr and had Google, which owns YouTube, bring the retired general and about a dozen other questioners to the debate because their videos were likely to be used, although no decision had been made….
Bohrman said he had no problem using questioners who have voiced support for other candidates as long as they are not donors or formally affiliated with any campaign. “We bent over backwards to be fair,” he said. “We’re not perfect. But we tried extremely hard.”

CNN had Google fly Kerr to the forum in St. Petersburg so he could take a follow-up shot at the candidates. Glenn Reynolds provides the definitive comment: “Using Google for plane tickets is okay. But next time, try using them for . . . Googling.” This morning Glenn quotes the background and recap by John Fund from OpinionJournal’s Political Diary:

Last week, CNN’s Anderson Cooper quipped in an interview with Townhall.com that